John Scantlebury

Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone player John, from Cardiff, played most of his jazz with bands in his home city, but, following his retirement as a journalist, was recruited by New Orleans Heat. A fan of swing as a youngster, he formed a jazz club at his school after going to a Sidney Bechet concert and discovered more New Orleans music via the city’s much-admired Mike Harries band. Eighteen months of clarinet-swotting later he was in the Harries line-up, meeting many New Orleans legends, going on to guest with Cuff Billett and Dan Pawson’s bands and, memorably, playing alongside George Lewis.